The Hand-Me-Down PC: Upgrading and Repairing Personal Computers [Paperback]

Morris Rosenthal (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1997 | ISBN-10: 007053523X | ISBN-13: 978-0070535237 | Edition: 1

Many computer users are working on old, hand-me-down equipment. This guide outlines how to get more mileage out of a PC through upgrades and/or repairs. It features step-by-step procedures for appraising equipment and determining if an upgrade is worthwhile; 25 top upgrades for under $400; and a troubleshooting quick reference including the top ten boot failures. The book is "Web-enhanced" to provide online updates and suggestions.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Though the computer makers would have you believe otherwise, most people who own personal computers have rather old ones. For every new Pentium III out there, there are several pre-Pentium models out there. That's why The Hand-Me-Down PC remains relevant today. Morris Rosenthal's focus on the technologies of early Pentium chips and their predecessors means you can use The Hand-Me-Down PC to wring the most performance out of your old machine.

After providing a brief orientation on the appearance of various PC components and their purposes (and a slapdash foray into software), Rosenthal shows you the most cost-effective ways to improve an old computer's speed. He accurately names more random access memory (RAM) as the single best improvement you can make to a computer, then goes on to show you how to carry out a processor upgrade or replace both the processor and the motherboard. The book's motherboard-replacement instructions would be better if they were less text-heavy--illustrations might have helped to clarify this fairly elaborate procedure.

Later, the author goes on to show how to add and replace hard drives, covering several standard models. He also talks about modems, sound cards, CD-ROM drives, and other popular upgrades before offering some strategies for tracking down the source of mystery problems. --David Wall

From the Back Cover

Why you should buy THE HAND-ME DOWN PC--Upgrading and Repairing Personal Computers. More than a fix-up manual, The Hand-Me-Down PC is a Whole PC Guide. With this book, you'll: Understand "tech" talk; Find out what all those symbols mean; Upgrade your own PC using tools easily found around the house; Customize your optimal PC! Raves From the Internet* "Your tech support rules! I have my own PC repair/upgrade business, and I knew a lot before I read your Hand-Me-Down PC book, but now I really know a lot." "You just saved me a fortune." "The commonsense, spelled-out instructions for learning about PCs I've been looking for." "I have been working at Hewlett-Packard in the PC manufacturing area for the last 4 years, and this is the first time. . .I understand PCs. I would like to buy the book for our technicians." "I stumbled on your site by accident. What a plus for ME! I'm a mechanic by trade, not computer-literate by a long shot. . .Your material made it much easier." "I used your words one-by-one to upgrade my doctor's PC to a Pentium 166 and add a new hard drive. Everything went just fine." "The best, most comprehensive, and well written [guide] I have read yet. And that includes a college course of two." "Great for the beginner as well as the more experienced technician." "I have a Pentium Acer loaded with everything and had no include what to do with it. Thanks to you, I now understand what it is all about. . .You are wonderful at knowing what beginners need."

Product Details

• Paperback: 307 pages
• Publisher: Computing Mcgraw-Hill; 1 edition (October 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 007053523X
• ISBN-13: 978-0070535237
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 0.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,518,044 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Learned a lot, November 13, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Hand-Me-Down PC: Upgrading and Repairing Personal Computers (Paperback)

I bought this book because I was looking to upgrade my computer and possibly learn a few things on how to build my own computer. I did learn lots of things on both subjects, but the book had very outdated information and only some of it applied to today's technology. If your going to buy this book, or any book that deals with computers, be sure it has up-to-date information.

Andrew

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Decision Helper, April 7, 2000

By 

Franklyn E. Dailey Jr. (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Hand-Me-Down PC: Upgrading and Repairing Personal Computers (Paperback)

Rare today is a family or organization that has not been offered a "previously owned" PC. Like used cars, the instruction book or an operating history if such ever existed has vanished. A PC-seller hooked on buying his or her own new PC every year may even ask for $money. The Hand-Me-Down PC is the ideal book for averting disappointment and creating confidence.

The author's discussion covers outdated models (generally resist them), immediate past models (defined by the performance of their components) and then covers newer models and in effective detail, component upgrades. Some upgrades may already be in the hand me down PC and some may be obtainable. To acquire or not to acquire, that is the question, and author Rosenthal is at his best on decisions.

The only paragraphs of the book that I do not personally consider useful cover network adapters and LANs. But, that kind of detail gives the prospective reader assurance that relevant answers are abundant in this book.